Keybury Fire and Security has relocated lock, stock and barrel to new premises in Keighley.
Keighley MP Kris Hopkins prepares to cut the ribbon to officially open Keybury Fire and Security’s new premises on Worth Enterprise Park, joined by, from left, admin assistant Matthew Reynar, managing director Frank Gee, operations director Patrick Beebe, social media co-ordinator Clarissa Hall and security surveyor Tom Gee.
The move from the company’s established base in Skipton Road for the last 25 years to 4,000 sq ft premises virtually double the size on the town’s Worth Enterprise Park in Valley Road has been prompted by continuing business growth across all areas of activity.
It represents an investment of £350,000 in the purchase and refurbishment of the building.
“We had long outgrown our previous headquarters due to rapid expansion and have been on the lookout for new premises for the past two years. We could have moved out of town, but wanted to stay in Keighley because it has been our home for more than 30 years and the majority of our admin staff also live in the town,” explained managing director Frank Gee.
He founded Keybury with his wife Tricia, who is also a director, in 1982. It remains one of the region’s longest established independent family-run fire and security companies, with a history of sustained growth, development and diversification across all three of its core intruder and fire alarm, and CCTV divisions, both commercial and residential.
Mr Gee said: “Our fire division is growing rapidly, intruder alarm business remains buoyant and we are seeing a massive increase in our CCTV business.”
The company, which operates across Yorkshire, Lancashire and the north-west, also has a network of regional offices in Bradford, Leeds, Skipton, Ilkley, Harrogate and York.
In addition, Keybury’s Keighley head office acts as the headquarters of the Alert Innovation Group, which undertakes specialist security work in the UK shopping centre and water utilities sectors. “We are also extremely busy across these areas at the moment,” said Mr Gee
The company has a proven track record of year-on-year growth, with an annual group turnover on target to achieve over £4m in the current financial year. Keybury’s workforce has also increased and now stands at 50-strong, with further new jobs in the pipeline, according to Mr Gee.
He added: “We remain tremendously proud of our Keighley roots and purposely used only local contractors to refit and refurbish our new building, so keeping money circulating in the local economy. We are now extremely well equipped to respond to future opportunities and challenges.”
Keybury was chosen as Small to Medium-Sized Business of the Year in the 2013 Keighley Business Awards and the company is also involved in local community and charitable activities.
It has for many years sponsored the Bradford & District Keybury Junior Football League, while management and staff undertake annual fund-raising challenges, primarily in aid of Sue Ryder Manorlands in Oxenhope.
The new Keighley premises were officially opened by local MP Kris Hopkins, who said: “Keybury Fire and Security remain one of Keighley’s best-known and most progressive companies and their desire to remain in their home town, plus their use of local contractors on the relocation project, can only be applauded and held along as a shining example of best practice. I wish them every possible success in the future.”